New Palace, Morbi

The New Palace in Morbi is an Art‑Deco oddity that most travellers never even hear about, which is why it feels like a private club if you nail the timing. Built between 1931 and 1944 for Mahendrasinhji Lakhdiraji, the façade of white stucco and geometric reliefs sits on a sleepy stretch of Mahatma Gandhi Road, directly opposite the half‑ruined Hindu temple of Shree Khodal Das. The best hour is the late afternoon of a winter day (November to February) when the low sun punches shadows into the stepped cornices and the interior, still modestly furnished with period mahogany chairs, cools enough for a quiet coffee at the tiny café that now runs out of the former ballroom. Skip the guided tours – they rush you through the ornamental staircases and blurt out paltry anecdotes about the last Nawab; instead, wander on your own, linger by the marble balcony that overlooks the Bhadiar River, and watch locals trade mangoes in the adjacent market for a glimpse of everyday life. Accommodation is cheap at the nearby Heritage Guest House; a night there lets you rise early for a sunrise walk along the narrow lanes of Morbi Bazaar before the street vendors set up. The palace isn’t a museum, so photography is unrestricted, but be courteous of the staff who still use part of the building as a municipal office. Two hours is enough to absorb the decadence; any longer feels like lingering in an over‑styled set piece.

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